Cuts ‘to bring huge industrial unrest’

A union leader has warned that the government faces industrial unrest on a “massive scale” over opposition to cuts in spending and jobs.

The warning came from the general secretary of Unison, Dave Prentis (pictured), who said the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had broken promises since the general election last year.

Activists at union annual conferences, which start later this month, are to express increasing anger at the coalition government’s austerity measures and discuss industrial action.

Mr Prentis said: “For public sector workers and the people who rely on them, for the sick, the vulnerable, the elderly, the jobless and those seeking to better themselves through education, the future is bleak.

“Unless this government changes direction, it is heading for industrial turmoil on a massive scale. The government must understand that Unison will fight tooth and nail to protect and defend public services, and will ballot one million of its members to strike to protect their pensions.”

Public and Commercial Services general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Barely a year in, this government has sparked a wave of popular anger against its ideological plan to blame and punish us for an economic crisis caused by greed and recklessness in the financial sector.”